Google has joined crores of Indians who are paying their last respects to "People's President" APJ Abdul Kalam by displaying a black ribbon on its homepage.
The solemn mark of respect is displayed below the search tab on Google's homepage and reads, "In memory of Dr APJ Abdul Kalam", while placing the cursor on the black ribbon.
This is the first time Google is paying tribute to an Indian with a black ribbon, a symbol of remembrance or mourning.
Previously, Google displayed the black ribbon to mourn the death of 9/11 victims along with other somber incidents such as 7 July, 2005 London shooting, MH17 flight crash, Charlie Hebdo shooting and death of Singapore leader Lee Kuan Yew.
Google recognizes the importance of such occasions and honours people with its popular doodles, which usually lasts a day. However, in this case, the black ribbon on Google's homepage was posted yesterday (29 July) and continues to be displayed even today.
APJ Abdul Kalam, also popular as the "Missile Man," was buried with full state honours in his native town Rameshwaram in Tamil Nadu.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, President Pranab Mukherjee, Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi, Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister M Venkaiah Naidu and Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar among others, attended the funeral to pay their last respects to the visionary leader.
Born in Ramershwaram on 15 October, 1931, Kalam died of a massive cardiac arrest on 27 July, 2015, while delivering a speech at IIM Shillong.
The government declared seven days of state mourning from 27 July, 2015 to 2 August, 2015, while the Tamil Nadu government declared Thursday a public holiday for the funeral of Dr Kalam and also observed a dry day.
Leaders from around the world, including US President Barack Obama, Afghan President Ashraf Ghani, and Russian President Vladimir Putin have conveyed their condolences. Tributes continue to pour in for the departed leader, who was a scientist, a statesman and a noble man, who led by example to inspire millions of people around the world.
